This invention relates to a coin dispensing apparatus equipped with an escalator and what is generally referred to as a coin transporting duct, and more particularly, to a coin dispensing apparatus which removes coins, medals and tokens used in, for example, money changers, gaming machines and the like, remaining in the escalator, as well as coins remaining in apparatus components.
A coin dispensing apparatus of this type is disclosed in Japanese Kokai No. 61-281385 filed by the present applicant. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the apparatus comprises a cylindrical case 3 provided on the bottom end of a hopper 1 which defines a containment space containing a plurality of coins. An outlet slot 10 is formed by providing an opening in the bottom end of the peripheral wall at the top of the case 3. As seen in FIG. 3, an inclined substrate 2 forms the bottom of case 3 and a coin transporting disc 4 is arranged on the substrate and driven to rotate in a forward direction (counter-clockwise) by the shaft 7 of motor 5. Formed within the disc 4 are five coin guide apertures 8, each of which is sized with a diameter sufficient to receive a coin face-wise and permit it to pass through the disc 4. As a result, coins in the hopper 1 will fall into the apertures 8 and will lie against the substrate 2. Extending along a part of the circumference of each aperture, and disposed for transportingly supporting a coin which has fallen into the aperture, are coin transporting arms 9. As seen from the cross section of the disc in FIG. 3 and the hatched portion of FIG. 4, the arm 9 is a solid structure that forms a wall surface of the aperture for support of the coins in the aperture, particularly when they are at the upper rotary location of the disc. The arms 9 extend between the substrate 2 and the coin transporting disc 4 and define a broken circle having a radius that passes through the center of each aperture 8. As the arms 9 rotate with the disc 4, they cause coins dropped into apertures 8 to be guided slidingly against substrate 2 and along a prescribed path of rotation on the substrate. This path leads to a location for dispensing the coins in the direction of outlet slot 10. At slot 10 is an outlet guide pin 30 which makes contact with coins dispensed by the arm 9 to remove the coins from the path of rotation and guide them to the outlet slot and an outlet guide member 11 arranged on the downstream side of outlet slot 10 between substrate 2 and disc 4, which guides coins A removed from the path of rotation by the pin 30 to the outlet slot.
In addition, a scraper 13 is provided having the same number (5) of radial transporting blades 12 as the number of coin guide apertures 8 of the disc 4. Scraper 13 is rotated clockwise on substrate 2 in synchronization with the disc 4 by reduction gears 6. The transporting blades 12 engage coins in apertures 8 when they pass through slot 10a at the interface between the substrate 2 and the disc 4. The blades 12 dispense coins by scraping them to the outside of slot 10, along path 15 and against the guide 21.
As seen in FIG. 3, an escalator 17 is fixed vertically above substrate 2, and works together with pairs of left and right guide rollers 19 forming a row and transporting blades 12 to push ahead coins towards a bottom entrance 16 of the escalator.
The left and right guide rollers 19 have downward facing tapered surfaces, as shown in FIG. 3. Transporting blades 12 of scraper 13 work together with outlet guide member 11 to sequentially push coins scraped from outlet slot 10 between the left and right guide rollers 19. At this time, coins proceed towards the bottom entrance 16 of the escalator 17 while being prevented from lifting up by the downward facing tapered surfaces of the guide rollers.
Coins dispensed by the rotation of coin transporting disc 4 driven by the motor 5 are guided to rollers 19 by scraper 13 where they are pushed into escalator 17 and ascent in a row by being pushed from below by following coins.
Japanese Kokai No. 4-220790 discloses another coin dispensing apparatus equipped with an escalator filed by the present applicant. As shown in FIG. 5, this type of coin dispensing apparatus has a reversible rotation rotary disc 4 in opposition to a substrate, a central disc 41 arranged in the center of disc 4, dispensing pins 42 arranged around the circumference of disc 4 which receive coins between themselves and the outside edge of central disc 4 and dispense the coins along a path of rotation, and an outlet guide knife 43 arranged on one side of central disc 41. Outlet guide knife 43, the rear end of which is fixed on the outlet side of a substrate and the front end of which extends to the outside edge of central disc 41, guides coins dispensed along the path of rotation to an outlet when the disc 4 rotates.
However, in the coin dispensing apparatus of the prior art described above, when coins remain in the escalator following the completion of a coin dispensing operation, since the motor only rotates in a fixed direction, namely a counter-clockwise direction, it is not possible to collect those coins. Thus, one has to remove the escalator body or its cover plate each time it is desired to collect remaining coins in order to eliminate the above disadvantage. Moreover, in the case of performing this removal, additional trouble can result since the removed component has to be reattached after collection of the coins.
On the other hand, in the case of discharging to the outside or collecting coins remaining in the bottom of the hopper or coins remaining as a result of being guided to the substrate from the coin guide apertures, there is a similar disadvantage of having to disassemble apparatus components.